Tasting notes

2009:  Only 38% of production, a blend of 91.3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8.7% Merlot.  Dense yet elegant aromas of red cherry, kirch, plum and liquid minerals rise from the glass.  This complex, kaleidoscope of fruit continues on the palate, where lovely fresh, juicy acidity and almost imperceptibly fine tannins marry harmoniously.  On the finish there is a hint of sour plum, and layers of flavour linger for ages.  An extraordinary Latour, equal to (but different from) the 2005, 2003 and 2000.  98-100 points, drink 2020-2050 (April 2010).

2008:  A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 0.75% Cabernet Franc and a tiny 0.25% Petit Verdot,

representing 40% of production.  Fine and majestic, with elegant aromas of minerals, sweet red fruits and plum.  On the palate the wine is a masterpiece of elegance, with ultrafine tannins, lovely weight and depth, and a core of sweet, understated fruit.  Tightly wound at the moment, everything is present and in harmony, a wine of lovely complexity promising a tremendous future.  94-96 points, drink 2020-2035.  April 2010.

2007:  Some 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot, 41% of production.  As usual, very fine and restrained in style, which is not to say there isn’t great complexity in the wine.  Loads of minerals, plums, red currants, with very fine yet persistent tannins - very understated - with a long, fine and pure finish.  Tremendous wine.  94-96 points (April 2008).

2006:  A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Franc, representing 38% of production.  Very elegant, restrained aromas of minerals and delicious plum and red fruit flavours.  On the palate there are serious tannins, but they are perhaps the finest I’ve ever tasted.  Very complex and an extraordinary finish - this is a tremendous wine.  Needs many years to show its best, but this will become one of the great Latours.  96-98 points (April 2008).  From bottle, there are very fine aromas, showing a hint of oak with blackberry and red currants.  The wine is very fine and extremely tightly wound at present, with lovely ripe fruit somewhat hidden at the moment by the huge, but extremely fine, structure.  This is very complex, a monolithic wine that will age for generations.  96 points, drink 2025-2045 (April 2010).

2005:  A blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, from 44% of the year’s production.  From barrel (May 2006) this aromatically elegant grand vin offers pure minerals, sweet plum and black fruits, a touch of spice, and lovely roasted meat aromas.  The palate has similar fruit flavours, and the depth, length and elegance of the wine on another dimension to the Les Forts.  Great persistence, with the fine tannins giving the wine wonderful length and presence.  Very complex, this does not have the opulence or extravagance of some 2005s, but incredible finesse.  95-98 points.  From bottle in April 2008 it had elegant, almost ethereal aromas of red fruits and minerals.  This elegance continues on the palate, yet the wine is complete with its fruit flavours, minerals, earth, fine acidity and unnoticeable tannins - in short incredible purity and near-perfect balance.  The fruit is ripe yet not obviously so, and the finish... doesn’t seem to finish!  Beautiful wine (98 points).  Another bottle (September 2009) was nearly as good, just entering its shutdown phase (97 points).

2004:  From barrel in April 2005, the wine, a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot had quite restrained aromas of soft red fruits, and on the palate very fine tannins, good intensity and complexity, perfectly balanced, with no hint of any unripe fruits.  Good length and intensity on the finish (90-93 points).  A year later, I found a dramatically different (improved) wine, with very fine and pure aromas of cassis, plum, red and dark berry fruit and liquid minerals.  Beautifully fine and elegance on the palate with plenty of power, this is perfectly balanced, offering lovely intensity and great complexity of flavour.  95-96 points (May 2006).  From bottle (September 2009) the aromatics sung even more following time in the glass, and a touch more structure is apparent.  The wine is clearly built for the long-term, and should be at its best after two decades.  96 points.

2003:  About 10,000 cases made - one of the smallest quantities of Latour ever.  I have had this wine on six occasions, and it has shown a linear evolution, from voluptuous to somewhat closed.  Initially tasted at the Château (May ’06) this had beautiful, fine, precise and elegant aromas of rose petal, red currant, five spice, minerals, cassis and plum – no hint of sur maturite whatsoever.  On the palate the wine is at once powerful yet very elegant, with perfectly ripened fruit, liquid minerals – essence of Cabernet Sauvignon!  Layers and layers of very fine complexity, outstanding length that builds to a crescendo long after the wine is swallowed.  Perfectly balanced, all elements harmonious and anything but a blockbuster.  100 points.  A subsequent bottle (Nov ’06) was nearly as good (99 points).  By early 2009 the wine was closing down, still with fine and elegant aromas - albeit displaying more spice notes - but the palate has broadened, showing more richness and plush fruit, yet still with ample freshness for balance (97 points).  In September 2009 the wine was even broader, voluptuous and almost fat - the acidity has diminished - yet still has amazing fruit and minerals, and loads to recommend it.  I suspect that its early greatness will reveal itself once more, but not for at least a decade or more.  96 points.

2002:  A surprising success for the vintage, emphasisng Latour’s ability to produce top wine in less-than-perfect years.  Ripe, deep plum and cassis flavours with lovely underlying minerality, long and complex finish with plenty of weight and fresh acidity that suggest this will be a lovely wine in around five years time and drink well for up to two decades.  94 points (September 2004).  In October 2008 the wine showed beautifully, perfectly balanced and simply delicious, with plum and minerals still dominating (95 points).

2001:  Upfront aromas of red currant, plum and a hint of tobacco.  On the palate very finely structured, fruit slightly subdued at present.  Very fine structure and good length, nice and complex finish, although perhaps slightly closed at present.  92 points (April 2005).

2000:  Majestic and magnificent, this is a truly remarkable wine.  Has that amazing paradox of power and finesse, dense and luscious with accompanying elegance.  Loads of minerals, cassis, plum and earthy flavours, balance the full, rich tannins and wonderful fresh character.  These all make this wine perfectly balanced and seamless, with every attribute harmoniously matched.  Completely ripe, yet the wine is not opulent in the style of the 1982, 1990 or especially 2003.  99 points (September 2009).

1999:  Quite complex aromas of dried herbs, minerals and plum.  Showing some development, with lovely dried herb, red and black berry fruit, very good length and complexity, and a little exotic flavour.  Very good style for the vintage.  93 points (May 2006).

1998:  An unusually reserved and dumb Latour that has nothing fundamentally wrong with it, indeed there is moderately complex liquorish, plum and mineral flavours, decent weight and a lengthy finish, but it is not either as powerful, expressive or majestic as usual, and the tannins seem a little less polished that would be expected, with the oak poking out a little at this stage.  A wait and see prospect I think.  It just doesn’t have all that much to commend it at this stage.  90 points (May 2003).

1997:  Despite Latour’s reputation for producing excellent wines in the context of difficult vintages, I am underwhelmed by this wine, which despite some attractive fleshiness lacks volume and concentration for this marque.  A little too thin and simple for Latour.  88 points (May 2003).

1996:  Tasted seven times, with relatively consistent (and improving!) notes.  Initially (June 2002) it was without question a wine needing time and plenty of it, with plenty of fresh acidity and weight of fruit but extremely reserved at the moment.  Plum, spice, cassis and mineral flavours are all evident, very pure in style, and the finish is extremely long and fine yet the layers of complexity have not yet build, and the pleasurable flesh is not yet present.  Will surely emerge, although I wasn’t quite sure quite when.  96 points.  In May 2003 and even July 2005 the potential was still there, but hadn’t evolved much.  Thankfully by March 2006 two consecutive bottles (yes, the second opened in error) showed more, delivering more plum and cassis aromas and a little more weight and substance on the palate (98 points, both).  In July 2008 there was more blue fruit (plum, blueberries) and a wonderful coolness to the minerality - effectively ultrafine tannins and fresh acidity.  Finally in September 2009 the wine had evolved even further, showing greater richness and weight, rounding out the very fine-yet-substantial tannins.  Should age gracefully for decades to come.  98 points.

1995:  Quite earthy, very powerful on the palate, archetypal Cabernet, smooth and rounded texture, although not a lot of sweet, ripe fruit. Lovely, old-fashioned vin de garde that certainly needs time to reveal its full potential.  92 points (August 2005).  In September 2009 the wine seems to have come along nicely, showing plenty of structure still but in a more harmonious balance with the ample ripe fruit.  Perhaps I’d underrated this wine previously, as this was fantastic today (96 points).

1994:  Shows some of the hardness and green character of the vintage, yet also attractive mocha and cedar flavours, good intensity and length, and reasonably complex.  Perhaps not the easiest of Latours to drink, but a good wine despite.  90 points (September 2003).

1993:  Another difficult vintage, yet another above-average Latour, showing some herbal and lighter fruit flavours, yet good power and length, with fine tannins and moderate complexity on the finish.  Should have a few more years left in it.  89 points (April 2003).

1990:  Right up there with the best of this exalted vintage, the wine is still very youthful, with firm yet very fine tannins and plenty of power, it also has lovely glycerol and flesh, and buckets of slowly-maturing fruit that make it extremely enjoyable.  Ripe plum, cassis and blackberry flavours, with typical spice and minerals, and layers and layers of complexity on the very long finish, this is perfectly balanced and most impressive.  98 points (December 2004).  Nearly five years on (September 2009) the wine was absolutely singing, delicious and fleshy with loads of complexity and an awesome finish.  98 points.

1989:  Very ripe, almost sur-maturite flavours of roasted herbs, red berry fruit and spice, hints of leather.  Extremely powerful on the palate, lacking finesse, elegance and freshness, and more tannins than richness.  Perhaps a little too simple for what clearly would have been fruit of very high potential.  Not my style, although some will love.  89 points (May 2003).

1985:  Lighter in style than is usual for Latour, with attractive floral notes, spice, cedar and juicy berry fruit.  Lacks mid-palate power and richness, although has moderate complexity and reasonable length.  A nice wine, but nothing more.  89 points (May 2003).

1983:  A lighter, earthy and somewhat herbal style of Latour, with reasonable complexity but not the depth or intensity one would expect of this house.  87 points (July 2005).

1982:  Tasted four times with some variance - no doubt due to bottle variability - and I would suggest that this legendary wine is as good as its reputation.  The best bottle I’ve had of this legendary wine was endowed with ultra fine, ripe flavours of cassis, pencil shavings, smoky black fruits and minerals, this is extremely forward and attractive, despite having the fine structure to age superbly for decades. Unctuous and textured, this wine is amazingly attractive and relatively ‘un-Bordeaux-like’, due in part to its ripeness and forward nature.  99 points (January 2004).  The two   subsequent bottles were both superb, without quite hitting this height – 97 points in August 2004 and 95 points in July 2006.  By September 2009 a simply delicious bottle showed richness, great intensity and wonderful complexity, and was drinking at its peak, although just lacked a touch of structure for perfection.  98 points.

1978:  Lovely spice, cassis and minerality and still plenty of vigour, although the wine isn’t especially powerful or complex, and has merely good length of finish.  Fully mature and certainly a pleasant, almost pretty wine, I’m not sure it’s a great Latour.  91 points (May 2003).

1976:  Fine, pretty and fully mature, showing reasonable ripe cassis fruit and a touch of undergrowth.  Well-structured still, with good complexity, this is a good wine that perhaps falls short of greatness.  Drink up.  89 points (June 2003).

1975:  Still very tannic even after 30 years, I wonder if the fruit is sufficient in this wine.  Cedar, spice and tobacco flavours abound, and there’s plenty of minerality, yet the wine is an angular, foursquare style that is a tough drink.  Very good complexity and length, and the wine has no lack of power, yet doesn’t seem to have the flesh to warrant joining the highest ranks of Latour.  92 points (May 2003).

1972:  Light and a little thin, but still showing a breathe of life.  Now past maturity but still vaguely pleasant, plenty of tertiary mushroom and leathery flavours now dominate.  Nonetheless, a success for the vintage and impressive given the age.  86 points (August 2005).

1971:  Very impressive for a less-than-adored vintage, this wine had plenty of plum and mineral flavours, albeit very mature, and decent structure remaining.  Very good complexity, and good length.  92 points (September 2009).

1970:  Tasted twice.  In May 2003 surprisingly reticent on the nose, although plum and mineral flavours emerge with plenty of coaxing.  On the palate the wine comes into its own, with plenty of sweet, ripe fruit, incredible minerality and a finish of great depth and complexity that lasts and lasts.  Wonderful wine.  96 points.  In September 2009 the wine was a little less impressive - still delicious on the palate, just less intensity and complexity, although make no mistake, quite delicious.  94 points.

1966:  Incredible aromatics, ethereal perfume of plums, tobacco and cedar, not quite as amazing on the palate, but still youthful plum and black fruit with some spice flavours, lengthy and complex finish lacking great density but a wonderful wine.  95 points (May 2003).  In September 2009 both the tannin and acidity were more apparent, yet the wine remained delicious (94 points).

1964:  Fully mature and very delicious, with plenty of leather, spice and cedar flavours, still quite fresh, with a reasonably lengthy and complex finish.  I’d be drinking up though.  92 points (November 2007).

1961:  A wine with one of the absolute greatest reputations of any...ever.  And in September 2009 (the only time I’ve tried this wine, sadly) it lived up to that reputation.  Simply, perfection.  Stunning aromatics, obviously quite mature and developed, but also with beautiful spice, minerals and surprisingly some ripe, sweet red fruits.  On the palate the wine was absolutely seductive, rich and perfectly balanced, with impressive depth and length and amazing layers of complexity.  Incredibly still youthful and in no way fragile.  100 points.

1959:  Rich and graceful, truly a wine at its apogee and simply incredible.  Mature aromas of ripe fruit, spice, and hints of truffled leather and cigarbox.  Perfectly balanced and absolutely delicious, with profound richness and depth.  Amazing complexity, intensity, depth and length of finish, this is nothing short of remarkable.  100 points (September 2009).

1949:  Beautiful, delicate, graceful and silky, with lifted aromatics showing fine, fully-mature fruit.  On the palate the wine still has great depth, and really impressive complexity.  After 30 minutes in the glass the wine was gradually fading - still delicious - but a wine needing drinking to see the last of its greatness.  96 points (September 2009).

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